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Retromulator – a free hardware synthesizer emulation plugin – has been updated to version 1.2.

Retromulator 1.2 features two new hardware cores: the Wurlitzer 200A physical model piano and Yamaha OPL3 FM synthesis, along with expanded Akai S1000 browsing and import capabilities.

Here’s what’s new:

New Hardware Cores:

• Wurlitzer 200A: Physical model piano via OpenWurli, ported from ~3,000 lines of Rust to C++ and integrated directly into the JUCE plugin framework. Models the tine, pickup, and tone bars of the classic electric piano with per-voice physics.
• Yamaha OPL3: FM synthesis via Nuked OPL3 v1.8 cycle-accurate emulation by Nuke.YKT, with SBI instrument loading, folder-based bank browsing, and zip import support.

Other Improvements:

• OpenWurli settings panel with live parameter editing via combo and navigation pill.
• Akai S1000 browse folder mode with auto-slice drum mapping and state persistence.
• Akai S1000 ISO/BIN/CUE disk image loading.
• CC20 global tuning support with auto-slice and tuning state recall.
• Import/Export/Delete and drag & drop support for all cores.
• Engine author credits in synth selector.
• Bug fixes.

Retromulator is available as a free download for Windows, macOS (including Apple Silicon), and Linux in AAX, AU, VST3, and standalone formats.

Abbey Road has partnered with British fashion house Charles Jeffrey Loverboy to release a free Kontakt instrument, The Big Nessie.

The instrument was created to coincide with the launch of Loverboy’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Prepared Piano, which is inspired by composer John Cage’s experimental techniques of the same name.

The Big Nessie draws on a library of sounds that includes field recordings from the Loverboy workshop in London’s Somerset House, and recordings made in Abbey Road’s Studio Two by Charles Jeffrey, his musical director Tom Furse, and the Abbey Road team.

According to a press release, the instrument features an assortment of “beautifully strange and raw sounds”, spanning “warped percussive textures, tonal fragments and experimental rhythms”. These are divided across the keyboard into five groups – Loops, Drums, Bass, Melodic and Sound effects – and can be shaped and manipulated via eight effects, spanning reverb, bitcrusher, filter, tremolo, distortion and more.

While Abbey Road has previously collaborated on products with companies such as Spitfire Audio and Waves, The Big Nessie is the studio’s first virtual instrument to be built entirely in-house.

According to a press release, The Big Nessie has been inspired by Abbey Road’s “Curve Bender” philosophy, named after the EMI TG12345 Curve Bender EQ, which “allows the studio to capture sounds, process them via their range of unique vintage equipment and acoustic spaces, and present these as playable digital software instruments for creators of all levels to experiment and play”.

“There are many beautiful examples of how music and fashion have seamlessly fused together over the years, but this feels like the first time these creative worlds have come together to present a music production creative tool,” said Abbey Road’s Head of Audio Products Mirek Stiles.

“Working with Charles Jeffrey was a truly inspiring experience that took both Loverboy and Abbey Road out of their comfort zones to make a fun and quirky sampled instrument for the creative community across the globe.”

Watch The Walkthrough Video:

The Big Nessie is a free download, but you’ll need Native Instruments Kontakt or the free Kontakt Player to run it.

The Big Nessie Audio Examples:

Download The Big Nessie at Abbey Road website.

Aqua Node has introduce a free collection of 20 VST plugins for Windows.

The collection includes audio effects, synthesizers and utilities.

They are free and open source. So – while they are currently only available for Windows – other developers are free to use the source code to build versions for Linux or Mac.

The free VST plugins are available now via Aqua Node.